The West Indies cricket team would be crestfallen after losing 1st T20I match. The Men in Maroon failed to defend the target of 190 runs as the Aussies cruised with 7 balls left in the match and 3 wickets in hand. The surface at Kingston was no less than a batting paradise as the hosts fell short by at least 15-20 runs. Let’s look at the key reasons for the West Indies‘ defeat in the opening T20I match.
Dramatic collapse of the West Indies
West Indies was looking all set to put up a score in excess of 200. At the end of 18 overs, West Indies’ score was 183-4 with Shimron Hetmyer & Andre Russell at the crease. Then what happened was quite mind-boggling. from 183-4, the West Indies fell like a pack of cards and were restricted to 189-8 as these last 2 overs brought back Australia in the match, and they got self-belief that they could win the match.
Despite the West Indies having a star-studded long batting line-up, the side in the last 5 overs accumulated 37 runs and lost 6 wickets. It really raises questions about the West Indies’ batting dynamics. Andre Russell, who is playing his farewell last 2 T20Is, also failed to trouble the scorers as he scored 8 runs in 9 balls. If the West Indies had at least got 200 runs on board, then they would have got a psychological advantage over Australia.
The bowling unit couldn’t capitalize on a strong position
Australia came out flying colors in the powerplay overs with scoring 64-2. Just when the middle overs began, Aussies started to crumble as they were reduced to 78-4 in 8.2 overs. The swashbuckling batter Glenn Maxwell, along with Mitchell Marsh, were back in dugout. West Indies had a golden opportunity to continue to assert its dominance, but that didn’t happen.
Cameron Green & Mitchell Owen had another idea, who launched an attack & were smashing the ball cleanly. Mitchell Owen, who was playing his debut T20I match, was literally toying with West Indies bowlers, which was quite a treat to watch for Australian fans in stands. Cameron Green, on the other side, was happy to play the role of anchor & cash in on loose deliveries.
Cameron Green & Mitchell Owen stitched an 80-run partnership in just 40 balls, which changed the complexion of the match. Mitchell Owen wasn’t afraid of the threat of Andre Russell as he was whacking him all around the park. Shai Hope looked clueless as the ball was getting dispatched in the stands quite regularly & consistently.
Lack of big runs from Rovman Powell & Sherfane Rutherford
For Rovman Powell, this match was no less than an emotional one as CWI snatched his captaincy & gave the reins to Shai Hope in the T20I format. Rovman Powell’s batting position at No.5 didn’t do the wonders for the West Indies. Rovman Powell (*1 run in 3 balls) perhaps made a mistake in dictating the terms immediately, as a couple of big hits from his bat could have made the difference in the result of the match.
Sherfane Rutherford (*o in 1 ball), who is excelling in both the white ball formats, also succumbed to pressure. Sherfane Rutherford has been making headlines in franchise cricket a bit more, given he has the muscle power and presence of mind. Perhaps the West Indies needed the services of Romario Shepherd, who has the knack of hitting big boundaries effortlessly.
West Indies quickly needs to regroup, especially their middle order. All of the hard work of Roston Chase & Shai Hope went to vain due to a bad phase of the last 5 overs, which had a huge impact on the result of the match. We should not forget the fact that bowlers are also to be blamed equally, who couldn’t contain the batters in the middle overs phase, as one wicket of either Owen or Green could have opened the game for the Men in Maroon.
What lies ahead for the West Indies & Australia
The next T20I match is on 23rd July at the same venue, Jamaica. The 2nd T20I match will be the last T20I for Andre Russell in Maroon who has decided to bid adieu to International cricket. West Indies fans would be hoping that they will see a Russell special on 23rd July as the flamboyant all-rounder would be keen to end on a high note in front of his home ground.
Australia, on the other hand, would be booming with confidence after snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. Though there are concerns for Australia in the form of Glenn Maxwell. The veteran batter’s performance hasn’t been consistent, and with ICC T20 WC 2026 approaching, Maxwell has to peak. The bowling unit did a remarkable job and displayed the Aussies ‘never-say-die attitude as chasing 190 runs wasn’t an easy task at all for Australian batters.
Also Read: WI vs AUS : Clive Lloyd’s Stern Message To West Indies Cricket After Debacle Against Australia